1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a laser multiplexer, and more specifically to a system capable of time-sharing the output of a single high-power laser source among a number of remote work stations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lasers, and in particular, high-power lasers, have become an increasingly important tool in industry. The speed and accuracy with which a laser beam is capable of delivering very high energy concentrations is unequalled. High-power lasers are therefore most often employed in delicate cutting and welding operations.
A convenient, efficient and safe means of transmitting laser energy to a remote work station may be accomplished by the use of optic fibers. Once a beam has been properly introduced into such a fiber, it can arrive at remote stations with only a minimal amount of power and coherency loss. Proper introduction of the laser energy into a fiber, however, poses a formidable technical problem.
Precise alignment is required. Misalignment of a high-power laser can cause serious damage or destruction to the fiber and nearby equipment. Precise alignment will also maximize the power available at the work station. The potential for injury aside, visual alignment of the beam itself is precluded by the fact that most high-power lasers operate at frequencies outside the visual spectrum.
Coaxially aligned low-power alignment laser beams emitting in the visible spectrum are required to accomplish the task of alignment. The focusing of the visible beam onto the end of the optical fiber can then be gauged via optical inspection through a microscope. Such an operation is tedious and does not ensure the precision required to make full use of the laser's power.
The laser is capable of delivering most energy requirements via an extremely short pulse or a series of pulses. Manipulation of the workpiece typically requires substantially more time. Consequently, the laser spends the vast majority of its time inoperative or idling. Attempts at deriving a more efficient laser system have been limited to sharing a power supply with a series of laser heads. While such a system obviates the need for multiple power supplies, it still requires a multiplicity of expensive laser heads. A system capable of efficiently time-sharing the output of a single high-power laser source among a number of work stations has until now eluded the art.